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Invisible Kingdom #11-15
Invisible Kingdom, Vol. 3: In Other Worlds
The Eisner Award winning series concludes!
Just when the crew of the Sundog thought they'd made it through the most dangerous edge of space--they are taken by a faction of mysterious new Nones to an even further and more deadly place: The Point of No Return. As revolution looms, these Siblings of Rebirth have an unthinkable mission to carry out, and they can't do it without Vess...or with Grix in the picture. But who can be trusted? And will Vess choose destruction...or love?
Just when the crew of the Sundog thought they'd made it through the most dangerous edge of space--they are taken by a faction of mysterious new Nones to an even further and more deadly place: The Point of No Return. As revolution looms, these Siblings of Rebirth have an unthinkable mission to carry out, and they can't do it without Vess...or with Grix in the picture. But who can be trusted? And will Vess choose destruction...or love?
128 pages, Paperback
First published June 2, 2021
8 people are currently reading
230 people want to read
About the author
G. Willow Wilson
474 books3,323 followersHugo, World Fantasy and American Book Award-winning author of novels and comics, including THE BIRD KING, INVISIBLE KINGDOM, and ALIF THE UNSEEN. Co-creator of Ms Marvel. Honorary doctor of letters, Rutgers University. I accidentally started a dutch baby baking cult during quarantine. Not very active on here right now, but often found on Twitter.
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February 10, 2023
The crew of the Sundog are coming in hot for the series crash landing in Invisible Kingdom: Vol 3. This Eisner Award Winning series hits a lot of turbulence but manages to be a really fun ride that could arguably be said to overly rely on tropes but I personally see it as having fun with familiar sci-fi elements. You know, the way you play with your action figures when you are a kid. We last left the ragtag group of space heroes as they are picked up by a rogue sect of The Renunciation hellbent on revolution,but their fire and brimstone approach might be a bit more of an extremist takeover. They have converted a planet into a superweapon that isn’t NOT just Starkiller Base from Star Wars: The Force Awakens and, Grix, ever the non-violent warrior has discovered in this case ‘the enemy of our enemy is NOT our friend.’
This is an exciting conclusion, with the crew caught between religious extremists with a taste for murder and a massive corporation who believes ‘No life more important than the generation of revenue.’ There are a lot of loose threads to wrap up here and the graphic duo of G. Willow Wilson and Christian Ward manage to do so quite effectively—though not always smoothly with yet again some pacing issues and the jumping back and forth that leaves some questions about about timeframes—with absolutely gorgeous artwork. I mean look at this, I love this stuff:
Vess has the most interesting storyline of the whole bunch through this series, and here we see her loyalties tested as she maintains her commitment to The Path. But is the naked dude medidating at the center of a superweapon ready to vaporize people with no warning truly a spiritual guide or just another false prophet?
Either way, this spells disaster for the budding sapphic romance between her and Grix, and much of this volume is driven on vibes of sorrow and desperation, which makes for a pretty epic tone as all the plotlines come to a dramatic head.
I really enjoyed this series, even despite some of its flaws, and it made for a great sci-fi good time between issues of SAGA. There are some really awesome elements here, and I kind of loved how on-the-nose it was about Lux being Amazon (having it turn out to be run entirely by AI algorithms with no empathy reminds me of real life Amazon algorithm stories affecting employment). I also loved Vess and her entire story. While pacing was the largest issue in the series, and a sort of jerkiness to the storytelling that occasionally made it hard to understand what was going on, it was still a satisfying ride. I enjoyed the way it would carry over dialogue into the next scene, effectively having voiceovers in print media. Plus the art was jaw dropping. And we see some Star Wars-esque planet killing:
Anyways, I would recommend this for anyone looking for a visual extravaganza and a fun and chaotic space opera. The love story is really cute and charming as well, and Cpt Grix rules. I would read anything this duo does after this. A solid 3.5 stars for the whole series.
3.5/5
See you, Space Cowboy
Volume 1: read my review here
Volume 2: read my review here
This is an exciting conclusion, with the crew caught between religious extremists with a taste for murder and a massive corporation who believes ‘No life more important than the generation of revenue.’ There are a lot of loose threads to wrap up here and the graphic duo of G. Willow Wilson and Christian Ward manage to do so quite effectively—though not always smoothly with yet again some pacing issues and the jumping back and forth that leaves some questions about about timeframes—with absolutely gorgeous artwork. I mean look at this, I love this stuff:
Vess has the most interesting storyline of the whole bunch through this series, and here we see her loyalties tested as she maintains her commitment to The Path. But is the naked dude medidating at the center of a superweapon ready to vaporize people with no warning truly a spiritual guide or just another false prophet?
Either way, this spells disaster for the budding sapphic romance between her and Grix, and much of this volume is driven on vibes of sorrow and desperation, which makes for a pretty epic tone as all the plotlines come to a dramatic head.
I really enjoyed this series, even despite some of its flaws, and it made for a great sci-fi good time between issues of SAGA. There are some really awesome elements here, and I kind of loved how on-the-nose it was about Lux being Amazon (having it turn out to be run entirely by AI algorithms with no empathy reminds me of real life Amazon algorithm stories affecting employment). I also loved Vess and her entire story. While pacing was the largest issue in the series, and a sort of jerkiness to the storytelling that occasionally made it hard to understand what was going on, it was still a satisfying ride. I enjoyed the way it would carry over dialogue into the next scene, effectively having voiceovers in print media. Plus the art was jaw dropping. And we see some Star Wars-esque planet killing:
Anyways, I would recommend this for anyone looking for a visual extravaganza and a fun and chaotic space opera. The love story is really cute and charming as well, and Cpt Grix rules. I would read anything this duo does after this. A solid 3.5 stars for the whole series.
3.5/5
See you, Space Cowboy
Volume 1: read my review here
Volume 2: read my review here
June 29, 2021
An OK ending to cosmic Amazon and the same sex love story between a nun with 4 sexes and a battle worn, spaceship captain. Everything got wrapped up too quickly and neatly without many answers for this to be great. Christian Ward's colors are amazing although some of the pencil work looks sketchy at times. The colors really go give this space opera a unique and otherworldly feel.
Received a review copy from Dark Horse and Edelweiss
Received a review copy from Dark Horse and Edelweiss
September 7, 2021
I'm never going to be satisfied when characters who work best together are kept apart for most of the book. The conclusion of a previously promising series is jumbled, rushed, chaotic and abrupt. Very disappointing.
June 6, 2021
You know that line in The Schuyler Sisters, "You want a revolution, I want a revelation"? That's what this final volume of Invisible Kingdom is all about. As all the plot threads from the last 10 issues converge, Vess finds herself dealing with the fact that her faith might have been misplaced, while Grix tries to save an entire solar system from a biological Death Star. Chuck in a love story, some last minute heroics from unexpected parties, and some truly cutting dialogue, and this final volume really does have it all.
I thought fifteen issues was a bit short for the story Invisible Kingdom set out to tell, but G. Willow Wilson manages to wrap everything up fairly cleanly in the end. I'd have liked maybe one more issue so we could deal with the aftermath a little more, but it's a cinematic ending that covers all the bases, and you can infer what's going to happen next even if it's not spelled out on the page.
Christian Ward's artwork remains top notch as well. His spacescapes are absolutely gorgeous, but he also has very good comic timing that helps some of the dialogue land even better than it would otherwise. There's at least one full page spread that I'd hang on my wall if I could.
Invisible Kingdom is a book that will make you think long after you've closed its pages. It's not just the thinly veiled Amazon/Church analogies either - Wilson's script deals with bigger issues as well, like blind faith, love, dedication to a cause, and when to stop and make a stand. And it looks wonderful while it does it. I'm glad they managed to see this story through to its ending, even if it wasn't in the way it was originally intended.
I thought fifteen issues was a bit short for the story Invisible Kingdom set out to tell, but G. Willow Wilson manages to wrap everything up fairly cleanly in the end. I'd have liked maybe one more issue so we could deal with the aftermath a little more, but it's a cinematic ending that covers all the bases, and you can infer what's going to happen next even if it's not spelled out on the page.
Christian Ward's artwork remains top notch as well. His spacescapes are absolutely gorgeous, but he also has very good comic timing that helps some of the dialogue land even better than it would otherwise. There's at least one full page spread that I'd hang on my wall if I could.
Invisible Kingdom is a book that will make you think long after you've closed its pages. It's not just the thinly veiled Amazon/Church analogies either - Wilson's script deals with bigger issues as well, like blind faith, love, dedication to a cause, and when to stop and make a stand. And it looks wonderful while it does it. I'm glad they managed to see this story through to its ending, even if it wasn't in the way it was originally intended.
October 12, 2021
The Invisible Kingdom series reaches an unexpectedly world-shattering conclusion in this third volume. Whereas the first two volumes focused on the interpersonal antics of a Firefly-esque starship crew, In Other Worlds expands affairs at a wild pace.
For example, the rogue band of space nuns now has a mobile planet (?) that's also a weapons platform (??). So, basically, an unexplained Death Star has arrived on the scene. Sure, this amps things up a bit (the previous volumes tended towards sleepiness), but at the cost of a coherent throughline. The rogue nuns seek to destroy the nuns who are in service to the Amazon-style corporation controlling capitalism in the solar system. Our heroes slot into this big picture plotline relatively neatly, though it's fairly unclear why the rogue nuns need Vess to make their weapons go.
Oh well! The action is fast-paced and easy to follow, and Christian Ward's art is less woozy that previous volumes. I probably had my best time in the Invisible Kingdom series with In Other Worlds, though I can't help but think the whole thing could have been unpacked a tad more thoughtfully.
For example, the rogue band of space nuns now has a mobile planet (?) that's also a weapons platform (??). So, basically, an unexplained Death Star has arrived on the scene. Sure, this amps things up a bit (the previous volumes tended towards sleepiness), but at the cost of a coherent throughline. The rogue nuns seek to destroy the nuns who are in service to the Amazon-style corporation controlling capitalism in the solar system. Our heroes slot into this big picture plotline relatively neatly, though it's fairly unclear why the rogue nuns need Vess to make their weapons go.
Oh well! The action is fast-paced and easy to follow, and Christian Ward's art is less woozy that previous volumes. I probably had my best time in the Invisible Kingdom series with In Other Worlds, though I can't help but think the whole thing could have been unpacked a tad more thoughtfully.
June 2, 2021
A fitting end to the tale of a lesbian space-nun and a grizzled star captain taking on cosmic Amazon. As ever, Christian Ward's art is absolutely perfect for the tone of this story. My one gripe is that this installment feels very rushed and the revolutionary plot never really takes hold. But then, when do plots about leading a revolution ever actually feel organic or earned? Wilson narrows the focus here to just Grix and Vess which helps things along--the colorful (literally) side-characters are fun but forgettable, so I don't mind them getting less screen time. On the whole, it was an enjoyable space opera with a tinge of philosophy and some biting social commentary.
November 16, 2023
3.5dan 4 yıldız.
“BAZILARI, SENİN GİBİ, FISILTIYLA BiLE YOLA ÇEKİLEBİLECEK KADAR SESSİZDİR. AMA DİĞERLERİ ANCAK ÇIĞLIKTAN ANLAR. BU YÜZDEN ÇIĞLIK ATMALIYIZ.
KALPLERİNE KORKUYU YERLEŞTİRMELİYİZ. ANCAK BU ŞEKİLDE YANLIŞ YOLDAN ÇIKIP DOĞRU YOLA GİRECEKLERDİR."
Seri sonu itibariyle önerilir. Çok çarpıcı olmamakla beraber keyifli bir okuma. Sci-fi konusunda çok meraklı olmayanların bile sindirebileceği kıvamda.
Son cildi okurken “Best New Series” ve “Best Painter/Digital Artist” dallarında Eisner ödülü aldığını öğrendim. Özellikle görsel ve renklendirmeler gerçekten çok keyifli, ödülü hak ediyor.
Eli yüzü düzgün, üç ciltte tamamlanmış, ortalama üstü bir seri.
“BAZILARI, SENİN GİBİ, FISILTIYLA BiLE YOLA ÇEKİLEBİLECEK KADAR SESSİZDİR. AMA DİĞERLERİ ANCAK ÇIĞLIKTAN ANLAR. BU YÜZDEN ÇIĞLIK ATMALIYIZ.
KALPLERİNE KORKUYU YERLEŞTİRMELİYİZ. ANCAK BU ŞEKİLDE YANLIŞ YOLDAN ÇIKIP DOĞRU YOLA GİRECEKLERDİR."
Seri sonu itibariyle önerilir. Çok çarpıcı olmamakla beraber keyifli bir okuma. Sci-fi konusunda çok meraklı olmayanların bile sindirebileceği kıvamda.
Son cildi okurken “Best New Series” ve “Best Painter/Digital Artist” dallarında Eisner ödülü aldığını öğrendim. Özellikle görsel ve renklendirmeler gerçekten çok keyifli, ödülü hak ediyor.
Eli yüzü düzgün, üç ciltte tamamlanmış, ortalama üstü bir seri.
September 25, 2021
love all the shades of Rogue One AND ALSO THE KISSING!!!!
April 10, 2025
A very solid final entry in this series.
October 11, 2021
Just like the previous volumes, the artwork in this comic is absolutely stunning. The colors, the imagination in world building, and just the way the art tells the story is amazing. I also enjoyed the themes in the whole series and thought this ending made sense, although it got a little too dramatic and action-packed for my taste at times. If you like space opera, though, for sure try this series!
Content Warnings:
mass murder, religious fanaticism, mobs
Content Warnings:
mass murder, religious fanaticism, mobs
November 2, 2021
I didn’t actively dislike this book but I only read it to finish the series. I read the first 2 volumes over a year ago and that was too much time. This volume seemed to rush along making things happen almost without explanation. The storyline becomes cliche and predictable and the ending is also. The artwork and coloring is again unique and impressive.
April 8, 2023
I liked this sooooo much. I loved Vess and her honesty as she's trying to figure out the balance of faith and doubt, what to leave behind and what to take with her on her journey. Very real to life, that. And the rest of the characters across the galaxy being confronted with the reality of continuing to support the capitalism that is destroying all life, or doing the hard thing to change. The illustrations are absolutely breath-taking and I love it.
August 8, 2021
Artwork is magnificent as usual. I love the oversaturated, color-washed style. However, I felt the story went orthogonal just to split up Vess and Grix for the purpose of dramatic tension. It seemed a bit... rushed? Unmotivated? The ending was too tidy, though I admit to loving the final scene. And oh those close-ups on Grix and Vess... those faces just chewed through the panels. Especially Captain Grix, ever-faithful and fully aware of her agency and feelings---almost completely opposite Vess the None, who only discovers her own when it's almost too late.
In all, a great space opera, and a feast for the eyes.
In all, a great space opera, and a feast for the eyes.
September 17, 2021
The graphics are frame worthy but I wish the story was stronger.
December 25, 2021
A good ending to a solid series. The characters and plot are exactly what I like, but somehow it didn't click with me any better than three stars.
August 12, 2022
3 stars. I mean… at least it’s a happy ending? Kind of difficult to tell what all was going on in this one and as a whole, I’m not generally a fan of series ends where the main characters are separated the whole time and don’t reunite until the end. The writing could have used a bit of work, but I love this universe and the visuals never disappoint.
June 20, 2024
An excellent finish to a wonderful series!
June 18, 2021
Great series. It's always hard to find pure purpose when too much power is at stake. Lovely artwork in this one as well.
January 30, 2023
okay yeah this was really fucking lovely, overall a bit slight in terms of plot but i feel like that's to be expected as it's only three volumes? however it still manages to evoke a really epic and sweeping feeling which every good space opera needs. the characters are fantastic, the art is amazing, it's just a really solidly good bit of scifi - and it doesn't take long to read! i would definitely recommend
April 15, 2022
The four sides to this intergalactic battle are the delivery ship crew, the evil corporation, the Nones and a splinter group called the Siblings run by a man who looks a lot like Glossaryck from Star vs the Forces of Evil.
With all the attempts at subterfuge and drama, there really aren't many surprises in this concluding volume. Technology aka the algorithm is evil. The people working for it are evil. The self proclaimed peace loving leader of the splinter group is, of course, evil, and even more maniacal than the corporation. The nuns are the lesser of all the evils and might actually have some good ones. And the delivery ship is our plucky mismatched team of heroes. Just to make things all the tidier, it has an HEA.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2022/comm...
With all the attempts at subterfuge and drama, there really aren't many surprises in this concluding volume. Technology aka the algorithm is evil. The people working for it are evil. The self proclaimed peace loving leader of the splinter group is, of course, evil, and even more maniacal than the corporation. The nuns are the lesser of all the evils and might actually have some good ones. And the delivery ship is our plucky mismatched team of heroes. Just to make things all the tidier, it has an HEA.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2022/comm...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2021
I felt the end was a bit rushed... while everyone SAYS 3 trades (well, 15 comics, even if the last one went straight to trade) was the plan, the big bad guys here at the end didn't really have time to feel big and bad... and Vess buying into what they were selling, then just as quickly being disenchanted, seemed far to fast.
I think the overall story would have been better served with another volume, but overall the story is good, anytime you can tell the tale of Amazon teaming up with the Christian Right to take over the universe it's a good time, right?
I think the overall story would have been better served with another volume, but overall the story is good, anytime you can tell the tale of Amazon teaming up with the Christian Right to take over the universe it's a good time, right?
August 28, 2021
Seriously feels like the series got cancelled and the author had to wrap everything up because this is a weird sprint of an ending. I had super high hopes about this series especially as I liked that it was interrogating religious radicalism abutting consumerism-as-a-culture ... but the third act flopped violently.
December 28, 2024
I'm actually shocked at how bad this ending was.
September 3, 2021
After a promising start marred by pandemic-related delays, Invisible Kingdom finally concludes in about the most perfunctory of ways possible. A literal whiz-bang finish with emphasis on the bang.
After escaping Lux and the Riveters, Grix, Vess, and the Crew of the Sundog find themselves the guests of the Siblings of Rebirth, an offshoot of the Renunciation with revolutionary ideals. Vess is initially bowled over by this group, thinking she's finally found like-minded devotees of the Invisible Kingdom. This doesn't last as the Rebirth, like the Renunciation, aren't quite what they claim to be.
Endings are fucking hard. I think this volume of IK is a good testament to that. Technically it hits all the beats. It's got all the ups and downs. Sure, it doesn't play so much with structure or surprise in its engineering, but it's solid. But if I had to pick one word to define the conclusion to this particular space opera, it would be underwhelming. The core of the story, the romance between Grix and Vess, reaches its pat conclusion. The rest of the world however, is left with so many threads dangling so as to boggle the imagination.
Like, for starters, where the fuck did the Rebirth come from? When did they split from the Renunciation? Also, where did they get the bloody Biosphere? What even was the Biosphere? What was the deal with Father Echo? With Lux's board of Directors being seemingly disembodied static-y screens? Why did Oris Prime's name change to Mather Prime in the second volume and why has no other character brought this up? I kept thinking they were two different guys, but opening up book 1 it seems they're one and the same. No really if someone has the answer to this last one, please tell me!
Dangling threads aside, there's then the barrage of nonsense that was unleashed against my willing suspension of disbelief. Things ranging from how Vess uncovers the Rebirth's deceit. How she then happens to stumble upon sabotaging them, and how the final solution for the Biosphere is literally something any one of the number of Lux ships that were vaporized could have accomplished. It all feels rushed to the point of concluding everything in broad strokes. It makes me hope that this is more to have to due with the troubled publishing history of this book than anything the author planned.
The good news is that Ward's art is still on point, with some single pages being so beautiful I wouldn't hesitate to pull this book out to show a friend. The visual contrast of the Biosphere with Duni's landscape and the capital city made this volume an always visually pleasant read.
Despite all my quibbles, IK's ending is still a fun time. Before they're relegated to being almost inconsequential, Father Echo and Profuni (One of the Rebirth) are fun enough bad guys. I also still enjoyed the banter between the crew of the Sundog, though yet again I barely feel like I got to know these people. I also must admit that the tension between Grix and Vess had me. I think I ultimately just wish IK had had more room to breathe. It feels like there's a lot of lore and personal history that we'll just never get to know about, that perhaps could have elevated this beyond "Amazon bad, organized religion questionable, love good".
I am glad however to have stuck with this series until the end. There's a paucity of good space opera comics outside of Saga. While IK never even came close to that series for me, at the least it's been something different from your standard SF comic. I'd maybe even consider reading more stories set in this universe should Willow Wilson pursue writing in it!
After escaping Lux and the Riveters, Grix, Vess, and the Crew of the Sundog find themselves the guests of the Siblings of Rebirth, an offshoot of the Renunciation with revolutionary ideals. Vess is initially bowled over by this group, thinking she's finally found like-minded devotees of the Invisible Kingdom. This doesn't last as the Rebirth, like the Renunciation, aren't quite what they claim to be.
Endings are fucking hard. I think this volume of IK is a good testament to that. Technically it hits all the beats. It's got all the ups and downs. Sure, it doesn't play so much with structure or surprise in its engineering, but it's solid. But if I had to pick one word to define the conclusion to this particular space opera, it would be underwhelming. The core of the story, the romance between Grix and Vess, reaches its pat conclusion. The rest of the world however, is left with so many threads dangling so as to boggle the imagination.
Like, for starters, where the fuck did the Rebirth come from? When did they split from the Renunciation? Also, where did they get the bloody Biosphere? What even was the Biosphere? What was the deal with Father Echo? With Lux's board of Directors being seemingly disembodied static-y screens? Why did Oris Prime's name change to Mather Prime in the second volume and why has no other character brought this up? I kept thinking they were two different guys, but opening up book 1 it seems they're one and the same. No really if someone has the answer to this last one, please tell me!
Dangling threads aside, there's then the barrage of nonsense that was unleashed against my willing suspension of disbelief. Things ranging from how Vess uncovers the Rebirth's deceit. How she then happens to stumble upon sabotaging them, and how the final solution for the Biosphere is literally something any one of the number of Lux ships that were vaporized could have accomplished. It all feels rushed to the point of concluding everything in broad strokes. It makes me hope that this is more to have to due with the troubled publishing history of this book than anything the author planned.
The good news is that Ward's art is still on point, with some single pages being so beautiful I wouldn't hesitate to pull this book out to show a friend. The visual contrast of the Biosphere with Duni's landscape and the capital city made this volume an always visually pleasant read.
Despite all my quibbles, IK's ending is still a fun time. Before they're relegated to being almost inconsequential, Father Echo and Profuni (One of the Rebirth) are fun enough bad guys. I also still enjoyed the banter between the crew of the Sundog, though yet again I barely feel like I got to know these people. I also must admit that the tension between Grix and Vess had me. I think I ultimately just wish IK had had more room to breathe. It feels like there's a lot of lore and personal history that we'll just never get to know about, that perhaps could have elevated this beyond "Amazon bad, organized religion questionable, love good".
I am glad however to have stuck with this series until the end. There's a paucity of good space opera comics outside of Saga. While IK never even came close to that series for me, at the least it's been something different from your standard SF comic. I'd maybe even consider reading more stories set in this universe should Willow Wilson pursue writing in it!
January 13, 2022
The Eisner Award-winning Invisible Kingdom reaches its conclusion with volume 3. Just when the crew of the Sundog thought they’d made it through the most dangerous edge of space – they are taken by a faction of mysterious new Nones to an even further and more deadly place: The Point of No Return. As revolution looms, these Siblings of Rebirth have an unthinkable mission to carry out, and they can’t do it without Vess… or with Grix in the picture. But who can be trusted? And will Vess choose destruction…or love?
Invisible Kingdom made a huge impact upon its initial release. It had a lot of hype given the creators involved which it more than lived up to. The first two volumes earned the series two Eisner Awards (for best new series and best painter/digital artist) and ranked highly with fans of sci-fi comics. This third volume has been eagerly anticipated, especially given delays from the pandemic and these last five chapters skipping the single-issue release, and instead going straight to collection form. It’s been quite a wait, but it was more than worth it.
In the previous volumes, G. Willow Wilson did a tremendous job on playing off her past experience at exploring cultural difference and identity. These themes are taken to a whole other cosmic scale with corrupt organisations and religions running rampant. Wilson takes a chance to explore this further when Grix meets the higher ups in The Siblings and learns how even those who know the faith is compromised still hold onto it for structure and purpose. Even in this final volume, one of the main driving factors is the conflict between Vess and Grix over Vess still holding into the last vestiges of her faith that she holds dear. It all comes to a head with Vess having to make some very difficult decisions between her faith and Grix as at its core, Invisible Kingdom is a classic love story where two beings from different cultures and upbringings find each other.
Christian Ward once again turns in tremendous art and seems to have saved his best for last in this volume. Everything is on an epic scale and is a perfect fit for the world he and Wilson have put together. Not only does he have one of the best planet explosions (and usage of THOOM) you’ll ever see, but he continues to innovate with panel layout and usage of colour. His style is truly unique and he once again proves himself a standout in the comic industry.
This is a perfect wrap-up to a top-notch sci-fi comic series. More than worth the wait and definitely cements the series as a sci-fi classic! If you’re a fan of the genre, there is no excuse not to check out Invisible Kingdom.
Invisible Kingdom made a huge impact upon its initial release. It had a lot of hype given the creators involved which it more than lived up to. The first two volumes earned the series two Eisner Awards (for best new series and best painter/digital artist) and ranked highly with fans of sci-fi comics. This third volume has been eagerly anticipated, especially given delays from the pandemic and these last five chapters skipping the single-issue release, and instead going straight to collection form. It’s been quite a wait, but it was more than worth it.
In the previous volumes, G. Willow Wilson did a tremendous job on playing off her past experience at exploring cultural difference and identity. These themes are taken to a whole other cosmic scale with corrupt organisations and religions running rampant. Wilson takes a chance to explore this further when Grix meets the higher ups in The Siblings and learns how even those who know the faith is compromised still hold onto it for structure and purpose. Even in this final volume, one of the main driving factors is the conflict between Vess and Grix over Vess still holding into the last vestiges of her faith that she holds dear. It all comes to a head with Vess having to make some very difficult decisions between her faith and Grix as at its core, Invisible Kingdom is a classic love story where two beings from different cultures and upbringings find each other.
Christian Ward once again turns in tremendous art and seems to have saved his best for last in this volume. Everything is on an epic scale and is a perfect fit for the world he and Wilson have put together. Not only does he have one of the best planet explosions (and usage of THOOM) you’ll ever see, but he continues to innovate with panel layout and usage of colour. His style is truly unique and he once again proves himself a standout in the comic industry.
This is a perfect wrap-up to a top-notch sci-fi comic series. More than worth the wait and definitely cements the series as a sci-fi classic! If you’re a fan of the genre, there is no excuse not to check out Invisible Kingdom.
June 5, 2025
A surprising amount of running around is done in this volume for no real purpose. Several acts are simply thrown in the garbage in favor of the lesbians getting back together. We finally learn that what the Path means. It's all about lesbian love. I thought the author converted to Islam. Is she getting the stones ready for... herself? Or is that only against gay men? I'm just asking... Otherwise, great story... whatever is left of it.
Right from the first scene we get LGBT drama. Grix now looooves Vess who must instead prioritize her mission ahead of her own feelings. The fanatical Siblings of Rebirth have been waiting for someone like Vess to reveal the corruption in the Renounciation. To Vess's surprise, their goal is to kill Mother Proxima. Turo feels a revolution is coming. He wants to ally himself to the winning side, but which one is that?
Right from the first scene we get LGBT drama. Grix now looooves Vess who must instead prioritize her mission ahead of her own feelings. The fanatical Siblings of Rebirth have been waiting for someone like Vess to reveal the corruption in the Renounciation. To Vess's surprise, their goal is to kill Mother Proxima. Turo feels a revolution is coming. He wants to ally himself to the winning side, but which one is that?
January 6, 2023
Deux choses positives pour commencer :
1- La BD reste visuellement magnifique.
2- La BD dans son entièreté est parsemée de bonnes idées, même de très bonnes idées. Malheureusement, aucune d'entres elles n'a vraiment d'impact sur l'histoire et n'est exploitée à sa juste valeur.
Donnez-moi une intrigue sur une planète où la reproduction dépend d'un sexe/genre très minoritaires, avec toutes la pression sociale, les rapports de pouvoir que cela implique.
Donnez-moi des pirates de l'espace anticapitalistes, en guerre contre le service de livraison de Amazon.
Donnez moi une intrigue politique où la religion, même si elle pourfend ouvertement l'hubris et l'avarice, collusionne avec les grands pouvoirs financiers pour se maintenir à flot puis devenir de plus en plus autoritaire.
Mais par pitié, intégrez ça à l'histoire. N'en faites pas qu'un simple élément de décor.
Dans ce dernier livre, l'histoire reprend avec un Deus Ex Machina qui tire les héros du cliffhanger du tome 2.
C'est une secte secrète de nonnes, avec leur vaisseau spatial de la taille d'une planète plus rapide que tous les vaisseaux du système. Les nonnes doivent être de foutues bonnes ingénieures parce que leur vaisseau est plus rapide que la flotte du vilain capitaliste qui a justement fait fortune grâce à ses vaisseaux ultra rapides qui permettent la livraison en un jour, partout dans le système solaire.
Ensuite, les nonnes apprennent à l'héroïne qu'il y a une prophétie et qu'elle est l'Élue™.
*Soupir*
Ensuite, on apprend que tout le monde est méchant, et que l'intrigue aurait presque pu se passer des protagonistes.
Puis, une conclusion sur le Pouvoir de l'Amour™ et tout est bouclé.
1- La BD reste visuellement magnifique.
2- La BD dans son entièreté est parsemée de bonnes idées, même de très bonnes idées. Malheureusement, aucune d'entres elles n'a vraiment d'impact sur l'histoire et n'est exploitée à sa juste valeur.
Donnez-moi une intrigue sur une planète où la reproduction dépend d'un sexe/genre très minoritaires, avec toutes la pression sociale, les rapports de pouvoir que cela implique.
Donnez-moi des pirates de l'espace anticapitalistes, en guerre contre le service de livraison de Amazon.
Donnez moi une intrigue politique où la religion, même si elle pourfend ouvertement l'hubris et l'avarice, collusionne avec les grands pouvoirs financiers pour se maintenir à flot puis devenir de plus en plus autoritaire.
Mais par pitié, intégrez ça à l'histoire. N'en faites pas qu'un simple élément de décor.
Dans ce dernier livre, l'histoire reprend avec un Deus Ex Machina qui tire les héros du cliffhanger du tome 2.
C'est une secte secrète de nonnes, avec leur vaisseau spatial de la taille d'une planète plus rapide que tous les vaisseaux du système. Les nonnes doivent être de foutues bonnes ingénieures parce que leur vaisseau est plus rapide que la flotte du vilain capitaliste qui a justement fait fortune grâce à ses vaisseaux ultra rapides qui permettent la livraison en un jour, partout dans le système solaire.
Ensuite, les nonnes apprennent à l'héroïne qu'il y a une prophétie et qu'elle est l'Élue™.
*Soupir*
Ensuite, on apprend que tout le monde est méchant, et que l'intrigue aurait presque pu se passer des protagonistes.
Puis, une conclusion sur le Pouvoir de l'Amour™ et tout est bouclé.
June 7, 2022
Invisible Kingdom has been on my To Read list for awhile, because G. Willow Wilson is one of my favorite authors. When I saw it on the library shelves, I snatched the series up. My thoughts maintained the same “squee!” noise throughout the series, so this review is for the whole shebang.
Invisible Kingdom is a fast-paced space adventure to punch not-Amazon Amazon in the face. In galaxy basically ruled by not-Amazon, Captain Grix and her crew are delivery people flying paycheck to paycheck. Vess is a “none” (a fun wordplay on nun) who seeks to escape the corrupt system by joining a convent. When Vess and Grix discover the “alternate” religious lifestyle is actually in cahoots with Amazon, shit hits the fan.
My whole brain was like “YESSSSSSSSSSSS!” on reading this book. Vess provides the bone-deep, quiet spirituality I’ve come to expect in Wilson’s works and I loved her talk of the path, her pursuit of truth, and her slow journey to realizing the body is to be as honored as the spirit. Perhaps unsurprisingly since they share hair color, personality, and love for muscles, Grix reminded me of Gideon from The Locked Tomb series in the best way. Ward’s art is truly incredible use of color: dizzy, dream-like, epic. I wish for posters.
All in all, Invisible Kingdom is a fantastic space adventure for our times. I recommend to everyone.
Invisible Kingdom is a fast-paced space adventure to punch not-Amazon Amazon in the face. In galaxy basically ruled by not-Amazon, Captain Grix and her crew are delivery people flying paycheck to paycheck. Vess is a “none” (a fun wordplay on nun) who seeks to escape the corrupt system by joining a convent. When Vess and Grix discover the “alternate” religious lifestyle is actually in cahoots with Amazon, shit hits the fan.
My whole brain was like “YESSSSSSSSSSSS!” on reading this book. Vess provides the bone-deep, quiet spirituality I’ve come to expect in Wilson’s works and I loved her talk of the path, her pursuit of truth, and her slow journey to realizing the body is to be as honored as the spirit. Perhaps unsurprisingly since they share hair color, personality, and love for muscles, Grix reminded me of Gideon from The Locked Tomb series in the best way. Ward’s art is truly incredible use of color: dizzy, dream-like, epic. I wish for posters.
All in all, Invisible Kingdom is a fantastic space adventure for our times. I recommend to everyone.
January 30, 2022
Fun to come back to Grix and her found-family of a crew and be thrown right into the intense action and stakes they keep finding themselves in. With some comedy on the side, as always.
”I’d like to l-lodge an off-ficial complaint. I have s-suffered psychological damage in the course of my employment.”
“But did you die?”
Vess’s journey is one that a lot of formerly religious people will relate to on the whole, of finding faults within what you’ve been told to believe and forging your own path. Because, unfortunately, religions are run by people who are not infallible and the wrong choices can be made. I appreciate seeing her struggles; I can relate. Her grief of realizations is palpable.
This volume was heavy on the angst for Vess and Grix, who I adore and seeing them hurt is upsetting. I definitely am reading this mainly to see where they go in the weird situation their universe is falling into.
I definitely recommend this series for anyone who likes intergalactic politics and comedic camaraderie in their comics. It grows on you really quickly and I always like seeing original concepts in a comic climate usually revolving around the same main lines!
”I’d like to l-lodge an off-ficial complaint. I have s-suffered psychological damage in the course of my employment.”
“But did you die?”
Vess’s journey is one that a lot of formerly religious people will relate to on the whole, of finding faults within what you’ve been told to believe and forging your own path. Because, unfortunately, religions are run by people who are not infallible and the wrong choices can be made. I appreciate seeing her struggles; I can relate. Her grief of realizations is palpable.
This volume was heavy on the angst for Vess and Grix, who I adore and seeing them hurt is upsetting. I definitely am reading this mainly to see where they go in the weird situation their universe is falling into.
I definitely recommend this series for anyone who likes intergalactic politics and comedic camaraderie in their comics. It grows on you really quickly and I always like seeing original concepts in a comic climate usually revolving around the same main lines!
December 19, 2023
Really loved this series, like Grix and Vess and the crew of the Sundog had me completely wrapped up in their journey and it only took me this long to read the final volume cause I couldn't get my hands on it sooner. I was a little bit disappointed that this volume felt rushed given it concludes such an expansive and nuanced arc. The conclusion to the story, and the fact that we got to see nothing of what came afterwards felt really unsatisfying. Understandably the big change desired by the rebellion would take a long time, but we could've at least been shown a little bit down the road to see where the characters, especially Grix and Vess, stood given everything that was going on. I also felt that some of the art panels were not as great quality as in the previous volumes. Overall though, I really did enjoy it and if more was written in this universe I'd totally snatch those books right up.
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